Parts 7 & 8 LIFESTYLE PREFERENCES Judging (Structured)/Perceptive (Unstructured)
Lifestyle differences present communication problems and explains much of the friction between two people sharing a relationship, including parent and child, close friends, fellow-workers and bosses. Lifestyle differences also reveal a source of strength, wise perception, eases much tension, provides safety and amusement as well. A wonderful difference when understood!
Part 7 Lifestyle Preference of Structured/Organized (Judging)
Many clients disliked the word Judging assuming it meant judgmental, connoting negativity and being critical. So, to avoid a negative inference, I substituted the word Structure in place of Judging but retained the MBTI letter J.
Keep On Schedule
People who prefer a Structured (Organized) lifestyle (J) are work-oriented. They like to get necessary projects finished before they play. In fact, they cannot enjoy leisure unless work is complete. Some structured people have to be away from home in order to play.
Structured/Organized people usually make lists and relish crossing off the items as they are polished off. Some say they put Lunch on the list so they can cross it off. They like to be in charge, wanting everyone to have a job to do. They dislike idleness in themselves and others as well.
‘J’ people often judge the success of their day by how much was accomplished. ‘Work, it must be done’ is their motto. “Let’s get started so we can get it over with” is a favorite directive for the Structured and Organized. Not only do they love to work, but almost everything they do
is regarded or called ‘work’--jobs they like as well as those they dislike. Quite often, they tackle distasteful jobs first. Some say that they work at playing. Structured (J’s) love the word work.
Making appointments and scheduling give Structured people the organized outline needed for their lives. Without a planned agenda, they may feel quite insecure. Structured people are likely to waste a day that has not been planned, though they hate themselves, afterwards. What they often forget is that everyone needs a certain amount of throwaway time to avoid burnout.
“We don’t mind Structured people doing their thing,” a Perceptive (Spontaneous) seminar participant shared, “but we dislike it when they try to organize us“.
Since meeting deadlines is a serious matter to Structured people, much stress in their lives stems from the fear that they might be late. If they can hack it, they prefer to hand in papers and reports early to play it safe, in case an emergency crops up. Also, they bank on free time at the end to play, which rarely materializes. “Sometimes, we hurry to finish projects and jobs only to discover later that the assignment or order has been cancelled,” a Structured group member admitted. “The sPontaneous workers kind of smirk at us when that happens.”
Those who prefer a Structured lifestyle divide the day into segments and live faithfully by the clock. They are likely to designate certain days for specific jobs. “We have to force ourselves to be flexible,” one Structured individual admitted, “because we allow our schedule and plans to become law. Sometimes our plans and schedules are our worst enemies!” “I used to really admire people who were organized, but now I realize that you can’t help it,” a sPontaneous observer teased.
Some Structured people give the impression that being organized is synonymous with being spiritually and emotionally mature, as though they taught themselves to be that way.
Naturally, a certain degree of self-discipline results from an inner determination to control one’s will and inclinations but many highly disciplined and motivated people take the total credit for their preference for organization and structure and getting things done without realizing that is stems mostly from how they were innately wired.
Time-management speakers and proponents of ‘setting priorities’ decry the Unstructured (Perceptive) Lifestyle as though it were inferior or a sign of immaturity. This condescending, and false attitude does intimidate sPontaneous people who struggle in a Structured nation .
Our Creator didn’t goof when he created fifty percent of people to be more unstructured. He knew that Structured ‘J’ people would need unstructured counterparts to balance their tendency for workaholism. Are you more structured?